Electronic polytomous and dichotomous keys to the genera and species of hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) present in New Zealand

Systematic & Applied Acarology
ISSN 1362-1971
An international journal of the Systematic and Applied Acarology Society, published since 1996

[Aims] [Editors] [Content] [Subscriptions] [Contact details] [Society Homepage]

Systematic & Applied Acarology (2010) 15, 163–183.

Electronic polytomous and dichotomous keys to the genera and species of hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) present in New Zealand

SCOTT HARDWICK

AgResearch, Lincoln Research Centre, Private Bag 4749, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand

Email: scott.hardwick@agresearch.co.nz

Abstract

New Zealand has a relatively small tick fauna, with nine described and one undescribed species belonging to the genera Ornithodoros, Amblyomma, Haemaphysalis and Ixodes. Although exotic hard ticks (Ixodidae) are intercepted in New Zealand on a regular basis, the country has largely remained free of these organisms and the significant diseases that they can vector. However, professionals in the biosecurity, health and agricultural industries in New Zealand have little access to user-friendly identification tools that would enable them to accurately identify the ticks that are already established in the country or to allow recognition of newly arrived exotics. The lack of access to these materials has the potential to lead to delays in the identification of exotic tick species. This is of concern as 40-60% of exotic ticks submitted for identification by biosecurity staff in New Zealand are intercepted post border. This article presents dichotomous and polytomous keys to the eight species of hard tick that occur in New Zealand. These keys have been digitised using Lucid® and Phoenix® software and are deployed at http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/hard_ticks/Ixodidae genera.html in a form that allows use by non-experts. By enabling non-experts to carry out basic identifications, it is hoped that professionals in the health and agricultural industries in New Zealand can play a greater role in surveillance for exotic ticks.

Key words: Ixodidae, dichotomous, polytomous, Lucid®, Phoenix®, biosecurity, New Zealand

References

Agnarsson, I. & Kuntner, M. (2007) Taxonomy in a changing world: Seeking solutions for a science in crisis. Systematic Biology, 56, 531–539.

Amerson, A.B. (1968) Tick distribution in the central Pacific as influenced by sea bird movement. Journal of Medical Entomology, 5, 332–329.

Arthur, D.R. (1960a) A review of some ticks (Acarina: Ixodidae) of sea birds. Part II. The taxonomic problem associated with Ixodes auritulus-pervcavatus group of species. Parasitology, 50, 199–226.

Arthur, D.R. (1960b) Ticks: a monograph of the Ixodoidea. Part V. On the genera Dermacentor, Anocentor, Cosmiomma, Boophilus and Margaropus. London, Cambridge: University Press. 251pp.

Arthur, D.R. (1963) British ticks. London, Butterworths & Co. Ltd. 218pp.

Arthur, D.R. & Chaudhuri, R.P. (1965) A revision of Nosomma monstrosum (Nuttall and Warburton, 1908) Ixodoidea: Ixodidae. Parasitology, 55, 391–400.

Barker, S.C. & Murrell, A. (2004) Systematics and evolution of ticks with a list of valid genus and species names. Parasitology, 2004, S15–S36.

Beati, L., Keirans, J.E., Durden, L.A., & Opiang, M.D. (2008) Bothriocroton oudemansi (Neumann, 1910) n. comb. (Acari: Ixodida: Ixodidae), an ectoparasite of the western long-beaked echidna in Papua New Guinea: redescription of the male and first description of the female and nymph. Systematic Parasitology, 69, 185–200.

Belozerov, V.N., Voltzit, O.V., Kok, D.J. & Fourie, L.J. (2001) Morphology of Margaropus winthemi (Acari: Ixodidae) based on scanning electron microscope study with comparative morphometric and phylogenetic analysis. Acarina, 9, 253–270.

Chesmore, E.D. (2002) Electronics and computing applications in entomology. Antenna (London), 26, 241–245.

Chilton, C. (1904) A species of Ixodes parasitic on the grey duck. Transactions of the New Zealand Institute, 36, 201–202.

Cooley, R.A. & Kohls, G.M. (1945) The genus Ixodes in North America. National Institute of Health Bulletin, 184, 1–246.

Dallwitz, M.J. (2007) A Comparison of Interactive Identification Programs. http://delta-intkey.com/www/comparison.htm

Dallwitz, M.J. (2009) Programs for Interactive Identification and Information Retrieval. http://delta-intkey.com/www/idprogs.htm.

Dumbleton, L.J. (1943) A new tick from the tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus). New Zealand Journal of Science and Technology, 24, 185b-190b.

Dumbleton, L.J. (1953) The ticks (Ixodoidea) of the New Zealand sub-region. New Zealand Cape Expedition Series Bulletin, 14, 1–28.

Dumbleton, L.J. (1958) The occurrence of an argasid tick in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Science, 1, 570-578.

Dumbleton, L.J. (1961) The ticks (Acarina: Ixodoidea) of sea birds in New Zealand waters. New Zealand Journal of Science, 4, 760–769.

Dumbleton, L.J. (1963) A synopsis of the ticks (Acarina: Ixodoidea) of New Zealand. Tuatara, 11, 72–78.

Dumbleton, L.J. (1973) Additions to the New Zealand tick fauna. Tuatara, 20, 65–74.

Godfray, H.C.J. (2002) Challenges for taxonomy. Nature, 417, 17–19.

Guglielmone, A.A., Robbins, R.G., Apanaskevich, D.A., Petney, T.N., Estrada-Peña, A. & Horak, I.G. (2009) Comments on controversial tick (Acari: Ixodida) species names described or resurrected from 2003 to 2008. Experimental & Applied Acarology, 48, 311–327.

Guglielmone, A.A., Robbins, R.G., Apanaskevich, D.A., Petney, T.N., Estrada-Peña, A., Horak, I.G. & Barker, S.C. (2010) The Argasidae, Ixodidae and Nuttalliellidae (Acari: Ixodida) of the world: a list of valid species names. Zootaxa, 2528, 1–28.

Heath, A.C.G. (1977) Zoogeography of the New Zealand tick fauna. Tuatara, 23, 29–39.

Heath, A.C.G. (2001) Exotic tick interceptions 1980–2000. Surveillance, 28, 13–15.

Heath, A.C.G. (2002a) Recently introduced exotic animals and their parasites: what risk to New Zealand's biosecurity? Surveillance, 29, 15–17.

Heath, A.C.G. (2002b) Vector competence of Haemaphysalis longicornis with particular reference to blood parasites. Surveillance, 29, 12–14.

Hoogstraal, H. (1967) Ixodes jacksoni n. sp. (Ixodoidea: Ixodidae), a nest parasite of the spotted cormorant, Phalacrocorax punctatus (Sparrman) in New Zealand. Journal of Medical Entomology, 4, 37–41.

Hoogstraal, H., Roberts, F.H.S., Kohls, G.M. & Tipton, V.J. (1968) Review of Haemaphysalis (Kaiseriana) longicornis Neumann (resurrected) of Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Fiji, Japan, Korea, and northeastern China and USSR, and its parthenogenetic and bisexual populations (Ixodoidea, Ixodidae). Journal of Parasitology, 54, 1197–1213.

Hoogstraal, H., Kaiser, M.N. & Mitchell, R.M. (1970) Anomalohimalaya lama, new genus and new species (Ixodoidea: Ixodidae), a tick parasitizing rodents, shrews, and hares in the Tibetan Highland of Nepal. Annals of the Entomological Scociety of America, 63, 1576–1586.

Hoogstraal, H. (1985) Argasid and nuttalliellid ticks as parasites and vectors. Advances in Parasitology, 24, 135–238.

Horak, I.G., Camicas, J.L. & Keirans, J.E. (2002) The Argasidae, Ixodidae and Nuttalliellidae (Acari: Ixodida): a world list of valid tick names. Experimental and Applied Acarology, 28, 27–54.

IPPC. (2006) Diagnostic protocols for regulated pests. International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) No. 27 FAO Rome. 11p.

James, M.P., Saunders, B.W., Guy, L.A., Brookbanks, E.O., Charleston, W.A.G. & Uilenberg, G. (1984) Theileria orientalis, a blood parasite of cattle. First report in New Zealand. New Zealand Veterinary Journal, 32, 154–156.

Kaufman, T.S. (1972) A revision of the genus Aponomma, Neumann 1899 (Acarina, Ixodidae). Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Maryland. 389 pp.

Keirans, J.E., King, D.R. & Sharrad, R.D. (1994) Aponomma (Bothriocroton) glebopalma, n. subgen., n. sp., and Amblyomma glauerti n. sp. (Acari: Ixodida: Ixodidae), parasites of monitor lizards (Varanidae) in Australia. Journal of Medical Entomology, 31, 132–147.

Klompen, H., Dobson, S.J. & Barker, S.C. 2002. A new subfamily, Bothriocrotoninae n. subfam., for the genus Bothriocroton Keirans, King & Sharrad 1994 n. status (Ixodida: Ixodidae), and synonymy of Aponomma Neumann, 1899 with Amblyomma Koch, 1844. Systematic Parasitology, 53, 101–107.

Lobanov, A. (2003) Keys to beetles and biological diagnostics. http://www.zin.ru/ANIMALIA/Coleoptera/eng/syst8.htm

Lodge, D.M., Williams, S., MacIsaac, H.J., Hayes, K.R., Leung, B., Reichard, S., Mack, R.N., Moyle, P.B., Smith, M., Andow, D.A., Carlton, J.T. & McMichael, A. (2006) Biological invasions: recommendations for U.S. policy and management. Ecological Applications, 16, 2035–2054.

Loth, L. (2005) Review of exotic tick interceptions in New Zealand since 1980. Surveillance, 32, 7–9.

Matthysse, J.G. & Colbo, M.H. (1987) The ixodid ticks of Uganda, together with species pertinent to Uganda because of their present known distribution. College Park, Maryland, Entomological Society of America. 426pp.

McKenna, P.B. (1996) The tick fauna of New Zealand. Surveillance, 23, 27.

Norton, G. (2002) Multi-media/internet keys and the taxonomic crisis. Antenna (London), 26, 245–248.

Norton, G. (2003) Identification software for tackling biological invasions. Proceedings of International Seminar on Biological Invasions. NIAES and FFTC. pp. 139–153.

Norton, G. (2005) II. Invasive species: the role of Lucid identification keys. Extension Bulletin - Food & Fertilizer Technology Center, 561, 7–10.

Nuttall, G.H.F. & Warburton, C. (1911) Part II. Ixodidae. In: Ticks. A mongraph of the Ixodoidea London, Cambridge University Press. pp. 105–348.

Nuttall, G.H.F. & Warburton, C. (1915) Ticks. A monograph of the Ixodoidea. Part III. The genus Haemaphysalis. London, Cambridge University Press. 349–550 pp.

Roberts, F.H.S. (1970) Australian ticks. Melbourne, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. 267pp.

Sonenshine, D.E. (1991) Biology of ticks. New York, Oxford University Press. 447pp.

Varma, M.G.R. (1993) Ticks and Mites (Acari) In: Lane, R. P. & Crosskey, R. W. (Eds.) Medical insects and arachnids. London, Chapman and Hall. pp. 597–658.

Volzit, O.V. Keirans, J.E. (2002) A review of Asian Amblyomma species (Acari, Ixodida, Ixodidae). Acarina, 10, 95–136.

Volzit, O.V. & Keirans, J.E. (2003) A review of African Amblyomma species (Acari, Ixodida, Ixodidae). Acarina, 11, 135–214.

Volzit (2007) A review of Neotropical Amblyomma species (Acari: Ixodidae). Acarina, 15, 3–134.

Walker, A.R., Bouattour, A., Camicas, J.-L., Estrada Peña, A., Horak, I.G., Latif, A.A., Pegram, R.G. & Preston, P.M. (2003) Ticks of Domestic Animals in Africa: a Guide to Identification of Species. Bioscience Reports. 227pp.

Walker, A.R., Matthews, J. & Preston, P.M. (2005) The development of electronic keys for the identification of ticks. International Journal of Tropical Insect Science, 25, 2–5.

Walker, J.B., Keirans, J.E. & Horak, I.G. (2000) The genus Rhipicephalus (Acari, Ixodidae). A guide to the brown ticks of the world. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. 643pp.

Walter, D.E. & Winterton, S. (2007) Keys and the crisis in taxonomy: extinction or reinvention? Annual Review of Entomology, 52, 193–208.

Wheeler, Q.D. (2004) Taxonomic triage and the poverty of phylogeny. (Special issue: Taxonomy for the twenty-first century.). Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, 359, 571–583.

Winder, L., Phillips, C.B., Richards, N., Ochoa-Coronal, F., Hardwick, S. & Vink, C. (2010) DNA melting analysis - a useful tool for the identification of biosecurity risks. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, In Press.

Accepted by R.G. Robbins 30 Sept. 2010; published 10 Dec. 2010

Copyright 2010 Systematic and Applied Acarology Society
Natural History Museum is acknowledged for hosting these pages. Please read the Disclaimer.